The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1887-07-29

and told my story. When | finished q
short thick-set man showed his hands a
little deeper into his pockets and said:
Gentlemen, want 0 remark I've
heered that air story occasionally be-
fore thisr'
This was greeted by loud laa9h
and every body agreed to it.
s.But see here Hawkins, / said. my
heart beginning to sink, "you know
me--yon've seen me before. 7
.'Oh, | reckon / seed re once" he
replied, without looking at me.
'.Then you know I'm not a horse
thief.
Cant say thatI do. saw We on a
steamboat couple o. months ago,
but hoss-thieves can ride on steam
| boats
Like nearly every thing else this was
agreed to with loud applause. | saw
that my chances were growing desper-
ate and Used every argument in my
power to convice them that I was in
| nocent. The men / had fallen in with
put in their testimony in my behalf
but to no effect. They were especially
anxious to see me hang after one of the
committee closely scrutinized me and
identified me as Doe Billings. one Of
the leaders of the gang. HE looks
young but he's hard one, I" explained
the man. So it was settled that |
should hang with the others. All
seemed TO be in favor of carrying the
sentence out Immediately. Here
Hawkins rose and said:
Gentlemen, it wouldn't be a fair
| shake for the other boys-wait till
mornin' till they come in to help. Be
sides they may bring in some more OF
the gang an we can string EN- all up
together"
This was agreed to as readily as
every thing else, and we were taken to
an empty log house little distance
from the rest and three men detailed
to guard us.
We were each given blanket, and
| wrapped mine about me and sank
down in corner with the most terri
Bile feeling / had ever experienced.
My past life came before me wildly,
and my mother and the home | had
so recently left without cause rose up
before me and caused me more bitter
anguish than it seemed | could endure.
My companions, hardened by des-
perate life and perhaps by former hair
breadth escapes, conversed in whispers
for some time and seemed to take it
very coolly. After some time the lead
er said:
Young Teller, I reckon We got o
dance on air long with us.
Whether | replied or not | do not re-
member, but he continues:
I'm mighty sorry we got We into it,
but we lowed we'd get way all right.
Eff they swing We jes' keep up and show
yer sand. They say yer're hoss-thief;
acts if We was one. A teller cam die
but once;'' and with this philosophical
reflection he rolled himselfin blanket
and he and his companion were soon
fast asleep.
tossed and rolled in the corner un-
able to sleep and | might almost say
unable to keep awake. | felt dazed and
stupid.
1t must have been three o'clock when
I was startled by the door opening and
one of the guards stepping in. He
came over to my corner and told me
to come out. Ibid so, and as | stepped
through the door saw AMMAN on horse
back and another horse saddled and
bridled.
There's your hoss," said the man,
rs he leaned down from the saddle,
and | recognized his voice as that of
Hawkins, ''get on an I'll show you out
o. this. !"
At first | could hardly comprehend
him. The prospect of deliverance, and
that by the judge who sentenced me,
fairly oyerpowering me. He warned
me to be quick, and / scrambled on
my pony and rode away by Hawkins
side, none Of the guards Offering any
resistance.
We rode for some distance in silence,
then Hawkins said:
There's a loose board in the floor
and they'll think we got out there. l
can't 60 with you very far but reckon
We can get away. Keep north o Yank-
ton, an don't show yerself to anybody
ef we can help it. Skip down into
Iowa an then go home an stay there"
'Tll do that" [ replied, eff I get
away"
THAT'S right-this is no country Ter
boys. Ye did me little favor pickin'
up them chips on the boat that time
an I'm willin's to do as much fer We. .
'sWhy, Hawkins, / can't tell you
how thankful | am-but that was no
favor did on the boat-nothing at all,
and this is saving my life-look at the
difference
| ooh, that's all right-no difference
at allies what we both had chance
to do, an neither Of us couldn' do no
more Don't say no more bout that.
knew ye didn't steal them bosses an
didn't want to see We hang fer it"
''But how did you know I didn' t
have something. to do with it after
all?"
''Why, cuss it, We see I stole the
bosses myselfr'
'You?" #
Eyes, me an some of the fellers.
We cached them up on Choteau creek
an these Nebraska fellers tried to run
'em off. reckon the moral health O.
the community demands that they
swing"
but was all that crowd horse-that
is-were they all your friends?' 81
| "Oh, no, some of 'em were farmers.
We see Tn cheerman of the Dakota
Anti-Horsethief society and all my
gang are prominent members. We
have to have in some O the farmers
| an other people to lend responsibility